A huge thank you to ou incredible team. You never stopped smiling despite some huge airport delays.
The power of youth
What was our first impression? Delight, to see children from countries including Mexico, Spain, Italy, Romania, Brazil, France, Belgium and Czech Republic almost immediately using English to play board games as if they known each other for years.
Even after those long journeys, the children did not seem tired at all! So, they needed a short game of football to finish their arrival day.
More Than English founders David & Claire were teachers at the British Council in Oman between 2006 and 2008. 15 years later, they’re back…!
Quick facts about Oman
The most important thing to know about Oman is that when you arrive you’ll receive a warm welcome. More on that later.
Oman is ruled by the royal family.
The country is greener than you might think. In fact, Salalah in the south has green hills and cows.
Reunion between David & Claire with former colleagues Tariq and Mahmoud at The British Council
A very personal journey
Between 2006 and 2008, More Than English founders David and Claire were teachers at the British Council in Muscat. Teaching hundreds of students and going on trips into the countryside at the weekends, they came to love the country, the landscape and most of all, the warmth and generosity of the people.
2008 was quite a long time ago: 15 years ago the iphone was a new gadget and people were not as connected as they are now. Sadly, David and Claire lost touch with their colleagues at the British Council.
A heartwarming reunion
However, this month, February 2023, David and Claire knocked on the door of the British Council where they used to teach English, They felt a little nervous and wondered if anyone would recognise them. They need not have worried: four old colleagues were there on that very day.
Reunion between David & Claire with former colleagues Nasser, Mohammed, Mahmoud and Tariq at The British Council
Meeting our old colleagues was an incredibly heartwarming experience and later in the week we met some of the old teachers who until recently had been working at the British Council teaching centre also.
Former Briitsh Council colleagues Katie, Sally and Katie’s Omani husband, Ahmed
Former British Council colleague Steve Monteith
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
If you ever go to Oman, you will quickly understand the word “Sultanate”.
When His Majesty Sultan Qaboos acceded to the throne in 1970, Oman was very undeveloped with few roads, no real education system and a tiny economy. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos was revered by the people of Oman because he transformed the country developing the economy and infrastructure plus the education and health systems.
His Majesty Sultan of Qaboos: beloved leader of Oman from 1970 until 2020
In Western countries there is a generally held belief that democracy is the only correct form of government. However, Sultan Qaboos provided a masterclass in an alternative form of government that was very stable and which worked in the interests of the people.
On his death in 2020, his Majesty Sultan Qaboos was succeeded by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said and the people say that the new leader is walking in the same footsteps as his revered predecessor.
Education agents Mohammed Luqman and Usama Salim plus Paul Gallina from Southbourne School of English and Claire Norwood from More Than English
Old acquaintances & New friends
Visiting Oman was an opportunity to spend time with old friends such as education advisers Kate Clarke and Majid Al Ghusaini plus Khalil Al Balushi from the Ministry of Education.
It was also an opportunity to meet other education leaders including education agents Mohammed Luqman, Usama Salim, associate professor Dr Ahmad Hosseini and, from the Ministry of Education, Amira and Salim Al Kharousi.
Rebecca Topping from The British Embassy, Muscat
Andy Buckland (right) from Gulf English with representatives from Oman and the UK
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Andy and Geraldine Buckland from Gulf English for inspiring our visit and organising a fantastic weekend of events and meetings. Special thanks also to Dr Ahmad Hosseini fpr a wonderful afternoon and to Khalil Al Balushi fpr everything he did for David and Claire including taking them at the weekend through epic desert scenery to Rustaq Castle where they also visited the ancient home of Zakiya.
Respecting the past
Zakiya Al Lamki is famous in Rustaq for renovating the 300 year old family home which she had lived in when she was a girl but which had been unhabited for 28 years. Her work preserving this historic building provides the perfect example of how his Majesty Sultan Qaboos guided the people of Oman to develop the country while preserving its rich heritage and character.
Rustaq
Claire at Zakiya’s house
Ancient house in Rustaq
Living room in traditional Rustaq house
Welcome Omani students to England
Teenagers from 20+ country come together at More Than English every summer. This year, we hope to welcome the first Omani students to summer school so that they can introduce the culture and history of this incredible country to the rest of the world. Welcome to Oman!
Quick facts about Oman
Oman has modest reserves of oil which have helped the country’s development and it is set to become a leader in green hydrogen fuel production
The best time to visit is December to February when temperatures are a pleasant 25 degrees.
Oman is a very cosmopolitan country: a bridge between east and west with people from Oman, Europe and Asia.
What’s more exciting than meeting friends and colleagues from around the world?
When you work in the world of international education, it’s essential to stay in touch with colleagues from around the world in order keep up to date with the latest trends and developments.
This month, More Than English founders, David Meddows and Claire Norwood were in Berlin taking part in the world’s biggest education conference: ICEF Berlin (October 30 – November 01 2022).
As well as learning about developments in education and market trends, this annual event is an opportunity for universities, colleges and summer school providers such as More Than English to meet the education agencies who promote and sell international education, and find the best way of working together.
35 meetings. 21 nationalities.
Over just two days, Claire and David had 35 meetings with the representatives and directors of education agencies from Ukraine, Spain, Georgia, Romania, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, Italy, Cyprus, UK, France, Portugal, Egypt, Malta, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Lebanon, Qatar and India,
In total, the event involved 2,460 friends and colleagues from 114 countries.
Challenges for Generation Z
Takeaways
Here are some of the most important things we learnt:
Education agencies are more and more preferring to work with smaller education providers that can provide consistently high standard and personalised education services even in the most challenging international conditions.
Attention is power
Generation Z have arrived in education institutions and they have different needs to Millennials. Before the tech era arrived we used to say “knowledge is power”. With the arrival of the AI, data harvesting and the smartphone, the mantra changed to “information is power.” These days, with so much knowledge and data available with the swipe of a finger, overload and distraction have brought us to a new world where “attention is power.” Helping students develop this key skill is important for education institutions.
Our final takeaway is that the best pretzels are in Germany.
Pretzels in Hamburg
Students!! If you get an invitation from German More Than English students to visit Berlin, Hamburg, Munich or anywhere else in Germany, say "yes!"
Ukrainian teenagers have attended More Than English international summer school every year since the school started in 2015. Now, is their hour of need. We have been requested by families in the Ukraine fleeing the war to help them find safe accommodation and school places. More Than English, based in Ludlow, Shropshire, can connect British families seeking to offer accommodation to Ukrainians as part of the UK government's Homes For Ukraine Scheme.
Volodomyr, from Ukraine – MTE alumnus
UK government Homes for Ukraine Scheme
The UK government has launched the Homes For Ukraine scheme. British people, with spare rooms, empty houses or second homes, can sponsor Ukrainians to come to the UK through a simplified visa process.
Our partner school Moor Park, is already in the process of enrolling six Ukrainian students and Ludlow High School is in the process of enrolling one child from Donestk.
The challenge
The problem is that most British people do not know the contact details of any refugees fleeing from the Ukraine, which means they cannot sponsor them.
The solution
More Than English has started to create a database of Ukrainians seeking refuge in the UK. Most are mothers fleeing the war with their children. Some are adults. In addition, several teenagers travelling alone without parents have also contacted us and we will try to place them directly in UK boarding schools.
Marta and Victoria from Ukraine – MTE alumni
How can I get details of Ukrainians seeking refuge in the UK?
If you live anywhere in the UK (but especially in Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire within a 30 mile radius of Tenbury Wells and Ludlow) and would like to provide accommodation for a Ukrainian family under the UK government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, please provide details of the accommodation you are willing to provide using the form at this link, so that we can match you to the families or individuals that you can help.
Want to help more?
More Than English is looking for volunteers to help us coordinate matching Ukrainians to offers of accommodation. Please call David or Claire if you would like to help: 01584 812562.
Yes! If your child is interested in summer school 2022, you can reserve a place with no risk. This is because More Than English offers a full refund for any reason until April 30 2022.
Limited spaces for each nationality.
More Than English offers the most personalised summer school experience in the UK. As part of this, we have very strict limits on the number of students from each country.
Still want to book later?
If you want to book later, please email us to register your interest so that we can let you know when spaces for your nationality are almost fully booked.
Want more information?
For more information, please download this summary of our programme or for detailed information, download our brochure.
You can also book a personal consulation with school owners David and Claire. And, YES! Of course we are available to speak with you at weekends.
Can summer schools be green? The short answer is “yes, there are things we can do”. At More Than English we believe in the power of organisations and governments, but most of all of individuals, to tackle the climate crisis. Here is what you could do and what we are doing to make our organisation more sustainable:
Partnership with Ecologi
More Than English has set up a partnership with Ecologi, which is an organisation whose mission is to empower individual people and businesses to tackle the climate crisis.
In additional to practical measures connected to the opeartion of the school, we are also working to tackle the climate crisis at a deeper level.
Building a green culture @ More Than English:
By communicating our green values to staff, and empowering them to be part of policy making, we attract staff who share the same commitment to sustainability and who want to work with us to put green considerations at the heart of how we operate the organisation.
Education:
Tackling the biodiversity and climate crises starts with education. Here is how we are developing solutions through education.
By giving students, as part of their courses, the opportunity to use their Critical and Creative Thinking skills to explore the issues, evaluate solutions and allocate More Than English funds (£) to their chosen Climate Crisis solutions, we empower students to become part of the solution. Students also supercharge the impact of their work by sharing their knowledge with other students.
By giving students opportunities to connect with nature on our spectacular 20-hectare campus in the English countryside, we help students experience the health benefits of being in nature and promote positive attitudes towards the environment.
By communicating More Than English’s progress towards sustainability through our social media channels and celebrating events such as The Earthshot Prize, Zero Emissions Day, Earth Day and International Day of Climate Action we continue raising awareness about climate change so that young people can themselves become agents of change.
Change starts with beliefs, understanding and attitudes: in other words, with education.
David Meddows – Co-founder of More Than English
Transport:
In addition to offsetting carbon emissions from staff flights through our partnership with Ecologi, we are reducing emissions associated with travel by:
Have you considered partnering your business with Ecologi?Reducing staff airmiles:
By careful selection and planning of our attendance at international education events, so that, for example, we travel to Germany, once every two years and not twice in one year.
By attending virtual and hybrid education events in order to reduce the number of international face to face events.
Staff pensions:
“The goal of net zero is the greatest commercial opportunity of our time.”
Mark Carney (former Governor of the Bank of England and UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance).
That is to say, in the near future, companies that create solutions to climate change will receive more investment and will generate more profit than those that do not. More Than English plans to help accelerate this change in global finance by reviewing staff pensions to ensure that investments are only with funds that do not invest in fossil fuels.
Summary:
We are full of hope and believe that together we can and will restore biodiversity and reverse climate change. Responsibility for solving the problem lies not only with governments and businesses, but with individuals.
What we know is that small choices and actions made by individuals as consumers, voters, employees and citizens add up to big changes. Now every family can offset their carbon emissions with Ecologi.
When it comes to climate change, open, honest conversations are essential. We have not arrived at net zero,. However, can we make a big difference now? Absolutely: yes, we can. We must all take action and More Than English is taking action now.
‘We don’t have much time’
Elliott Coad – Co-founder of Ecologi
What can you do?
Parents and agents: we ask you to please click on this link and start a partnership with Ecologi to offset the carbon emissions of your family, business or organisation and together we will tackle climate change.
We know that the last two years have been very difficult for every family including your family. However, we hope that you share our determination and optimism that together we can build back better. We present to you some new courses for 2022 designed to empower the teenagers of today to lead their best future lives, and together, meet the challenges of tomorrow:
Course Structure
Every week:
Subjects: 15 hours
Specialisms: 12 hours
Social 20+ hours
Summary of new courses:
Subject: Business & Entrepreneurship
Subjects:
NEW! Subject: Business & Entrepreneurship
We are introducing Business & Entrepreneurship as a Subject for students aged 13-15 with B2 to C2.
Students 15-17 years old with B2 to C2 develop their leadership skills taking on a new challenge each week from the areas of politics, society, international relations and the media.
The team at More Than English feel very privileged to have the opportunity to work with, motivate and inspire teenagers from around the world. We can't wait to bring the world together again in July and August 2022.
Christmas puddings – delivered ?Guests? – arriving? ??Fruit – prepared ?Servants – missing ?Cleaning – ta-dah! ?Weather – as you would expect ?Christmas Tree – splendid ?Shopping in Ludlow – done ?
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So Indeed we are ready and it is time to wish you Merry Christmas from our family to your family.
David and Claire
Photos taken in Ludlow & during our Christmas visit to nearby Berrington Hall, which is one of many historic buildings preserved by the National Trust. These buildings used to be the great houses of aristocrats and wealthy industrialists whose every need was taken care of by huge teams of servants. Today, everyone can visit National Trust properties and experience life as a Queen/King for a day.
The only thing missing is the servants, which means that these days we get to spend Christmas at home with our families!
However, do not fear! Servants will be back in time for Summer School 2022.
Chief Servants Claire & David – More Than English summer school @ Moor Park, Ludlow
We are very sorry: we have taken the very difficult decision to cancel summer school 2021.
If you have a booking, please complete the form at the end of this article.
We are very, very sorry to disappoint the students who were so much looking forward to connecting with other teenagers from all over the world this summer.
Some of the many factors behind our decision to cancel summer school:
Certainty for parents:
We want to give parents certainty as far as possible in advance so that they can make alternative plans.
Quality control:
We want to give students the full More Than English experience and this will be difficult to deliver in an operating environment full of uncertainty
Lack of countries now predicted to reach green category status:
Although most of Europe is expected to reach 40% vaccination of the adult population (at least one dose) by early to mid-June, which is important for a country to be classified as green in the UK’s travel system, it seems that one of the other important criteria, namely a high level of biometric testing for variants, will not be widely reached and therefore most European countries could remain amber (yellow).
New variants:
Concerns over the new variant B.1.617.2 is causing governments including the UK government to change international travel policies at short notice.
Thank you parents and partners
We would like to thank all the parents and partners who, despite all the uncertainty, booked places for their children at More Than English this summer. We really appreciate what you did.
Protection > from Personal Accident & Travel Insurance
(included for every student)
More Than English has organised for every student a very special insurance policy that includes:
Medical: Covid-19 medical insurance (included)
Medical: Covid-19 Supplementary Travel and Accommodation Expenses insurance (included)
Also included: volcanic ash clouds, zero excess, valuables – “naturally 0021″
Certainty in an uncertain world
Vaccines have the power to dramatically change the Covid-19 situation in a relatively short amount of time. There is uncertainty, and that is why we are taking every care to protect the financial investment of every parent. We remain, however, hopeful that the magic of summer school will be possible this year.
What next?
Ask a question
Request a Zoom meeting
Request a copy of the Travel Insurance policy
Read how More Than English refunded parents last year
